Numbers 35:15 kjv
These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither.
Numbers 35:15 nkjv
These six cities shall be for refuge for the children of Israel, for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them, that anyone who kills a person accidentally may flee there.
Numbers 35:15 niv
These six towns will be a place of refuge for Israelites and for foreigners residing among them, so that anyone who has killed another accidentally can flee there.
Numbers 35:15 esv
These six cities shall be for refuge for the people of Israel, and for the stranger and for the sojourner among them, that anyone who kills any person without intent may flee there.
Numbers 35:15 nlt
These cities are for the protection of Israelites, foreigners living among you, and traveling merchants. Anyone who accidentally kills someone may flee there for safety.
Numbers 35 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference/Point |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 21:12-13 | "Whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall be put to death. But if he did not lie in wait for him, but God let him fall into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place to which he may flee." | Distinguishes accidental killing from murder. |
| Deut 4:41-43 | "Then Moses set apart three cities in beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise, that the manslayer might flee there..." | Establishment of specific cities in Transjordan. |
| Deut 19:1-3 | "When the LORD your God cuts off the nations... and you inherit their land, you shall set apart three cities... that any manslayer may flee there." | Command to establish cities in Canaan. |
| Deut 19:4-6 | "This is the provision for the manslayer who by fleeing there may live..." | Details how unintentional killing applies. |
| Deut 19:11-13 | "But if anyone hates his neighbor and lies in wait for him, attacks him... then the elders of his city shall send..." | Exclusion: Intentional murder has no refuge. |
| Josh 20:1-3 | "Then the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying, 'Speak to the people of Israel, 'Appoint the cities of refuge...'" | Fulfillment of the command through Joshua. |
| Josh 20:4-6 | "He shall flee to one of these cities... and shall stand at the entrance of the gate... until he stands before the congregation for judgment..." | Procedure for entry and judgment within the city. |
| Josh 20:7-8 | "So they set apart Kedesh in Galilee... and Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim... and Hebron..." | Specific cities established. |
| Josh 20:9 | "These were the cities designated for all the people of Israel and for the sojourner residing among them, that anyone who killed a person unintentionally might flee there..." | Reiterates inclusion of sojourner/foreigner. |
| Num 35:6 | "The cities that you give to the Levites shall be the six cities of refuge, where the manslayer may flee..." | Overall purpose and connection to Levites. |
| Num 35:22-25 | "But if he pushed him suddenly, without enmity... then the congregation shall rescue the slayer..." | Further clarifies accidental vs. intentional. |
| Num 35:28 | "And the manslayer shall remain in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest..." | Defines the period of protection. |
| Prov 28:17 | "If one is guilty of shedding innocent blood, he will flee to a pit; let no one help him." | Contrast: The wicked fleeing without hope. |
| Ezek 33:14-16 | "Again, though I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' yet if he turns from his sin... he shall surely live..." | Principle of God providing escape for repentance. |
| Isa 32:2 | "Each will be like a hiding place from the wind, a shelter from the storm..." | Typological: Leaders/righteous as spiritual refuge. |
| Psa 46:1 | "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." | God as the ultimate refuge. |
| Psa 62:8 | "Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us." | Trust in God as ultimate safety. |
| Heb 6:18 | "...that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement..." | Typological: Christ as our hope and refuge. |
| Eph 2:19 | "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God..." | New Testament inclusion in Christ for Gentiles. |
| Col 3:11 | "Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all." | Spiritual equality and inclusion in Christ. |
| 1 John 1:9 | "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." | God's provision for forgiveness when we "flee" to Him for confession. |
| 1 Pet 2:9-10 | "But you are a chosen race... once were not a people but now are God's people; once had not received mercy but now have received mercy." | Broad inclusion of believers, similar to stranger/sojourner gaining entry to God's people. |
Numbers 35 verses
Numbers 35 15 Meaning
Numbers 35:15 declares that the six designated cities of refuge are established to provide safety and legal recourse for anyone, whether native-born Israelite, a resident alien (stranger), or a temporary sojourner, who accidentally causes the death of another person without malicious intent. It guarantees protection from immediate blood vengeance, ensuring a proper legal process can take place.
Numbers 35 15 Context
Numbers chapter 35 details the regulations for the Levitical cities and the cities of refuge. Following the allocation of land to the tribes, the Israelites were commanded to set aside forty-eight cities for the Levites, who had no tribal land inheritance, with six of these designated as cities of refuge. This particular verse, Numbers 35:15, clarifies who is eligible for protection in these cities. It is embedded within laws that distinguish between intentional murder, which is punishable by death, and unintentional killing (manslaughter), which receives protection within the refuge city until a fair trial by the community. The overall context establishes a sophisticated legal system designed by God to ensure justice, prevent cycles of uncontrolled blood revenge, and uphold mercy even for those who caused accidental death, emphasizing God's impartial justice for all residents within the land He granted.
Numbers 35 15 Word analysis
- These six cities: Refers specifically to the three cities west of the Jordan and three east, appointed by Moses and Joshua (Deut 4:41-43, Josh 20:7-8). This fixed number underscores their deliberate establishment as part of divine law.
- shall be a refuge: From the Hebrew miqlaṭ (מִקְלָט), meaning a place of reception, asylum, or sanctuary. This highlights their purpose as havens of safety and legal protection from the "avenger of blood" until a trial could be held.
- both for the children of Israel: Refers to the native-born members of the Israelite tribes, the covenant people of God. They are the primary recipients of these laws and provisions.
- and for the stranger: From the Hebrew ger (גֵּר), indicating a resident alien or sojourner who has integrated into the Israelite society, perhaps even embracing aspects of their faith and laws. This group typically had certain rights and protections under Mosaic law.
- and for the sojourner: From the Hebrew toshav (תּוֹשָׁב), denoting a temporary resident or foreign guest who lives among the Israelites but may not have fully assimilated or committed to their laws as fully as the ger. Its inclusion here extends the protection even more broadly to anyone dwelling in the land.
- among them: This phrase clarifies that the protection extends to any individual living within the geographical and social boundaries of Israel, irrespective of their ethnic origin.
- that anyone who kills a person: Emphasizes the universal application of this law to any individual perpetrator of a homicide.
- unintentionally: From the Hebrew bishgagah (בִּשְׁגָגָה), meaning by mistake, inadvertently, or without malicious forethought or design. This is the crucial legal distinction that separates manslaughter from premeditated murder and grants access to the city of refuge. It is the defining criterion for protection.
- may flee there: Highlights the immediate practical action required: the perpetrator must seek refuge, actively using the provision for safety. This action grants the necessary temporary asylum and sets the legal process in motion.
Words-group analysis:
- "for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them": This tripartite inclusion (
Yisrael,ger,toshav) is profoundly significant. It showcases God's remarkable impartiality and justice under His law, extending vital legal protection to all inhabitants of the land, not just the native Israelites. In the ancient Near East, such comprehensive protection for foreigners was often uncommon, making this a distinct feature of biblical law and reflecting God's universal care. - "anyone who kills a person unintentionally": This phrase defines the specific condition for availing oneself of the cities of refuge. The core emphasis is on the absence of intent or premeditation. It distinguishes between an accident or negligent act and a deliberate, malicious act, which aligns with modern legal principles regarding levels of homicide. This divine standard aimed to prevent innocent blood from being shed due to immediate, unregulated tribal revenge, while still ensuring accountability for death.
Numbers 35 15 Bonus section
The establishment of the cities of refuge demonstrates a sophisticated legal framework that surpasses many contemporaneous legal systems of the ancient Near East. Their existence mitigated the brutal cycle of "blood vengeance" (the go'el hadam or avenger of blood, usually the closest male relative, who had the right and duty to avenge a slain kinsman), replacing it with a divinely instituted process that distinguished between culpable murder and accidental death. This prevented an immediate and often retaliatory death sentence and ensured a trial before the community. The system thus served to maintain the sanctity of life (every human is made in God's image, Gen 9:6) while also preventing unnecessary bloodguilt on the land (Deut 19:10). The very nature of a refuge also hints at deeper theological concepts, where believers can find ultimate refuge from the judgment of sin in God through Christ, as echoed in Hebrews 6:18.
Numbers 35 15 Commentary
Numbers 35:15 provides a crucial qualification for the cities of refuge: their accessibility is not limited by ethnicity or origin, but by the nature of the deed. This verse beautifully demonstrates the dual aspects of God's character: His justice, by requiring accountability for all taking of life, and His mercy, by providing protection and a just legal process for accidental killing. The explicit inclusion of "the stranger" (ger) and "the sojourner" (toshav) living "among them" (Israelites) is radical for ancient legal codes, underscoring God's universal concern and the inclusive nature of His covenant standards for righteous living in the land. It taught Israel, and indeed us, the importance of impartial justice, compassion, and discerning intent in legal matters. This principle lays a foundation for future theological truths, illustrating that refuge and forgiveness are open to all who come on the correct terms.